“ELLE, BABY, WAKE up.”
Owen’s hand smoothed up my back, and his breath danced along my forehead as he attempted to pull me from sleep. I nuzzled myself deeper into the space between his shoulder and neck and tightened my arms around him. I didn’t want to get up. I wanted to bury myself in his warmth and stay there forever.
“Do I have to?”
He chuckled, his entire chest rumbling. “Unfortunately, yes. I’d love to sit here and hold you all day, but we’re almost here.” His fingers came up to brush a few strands away from my face, and as I tilted my head back to look at him, he leaned in dropping a chaste kiss to my lips. “We’re going to be landing soon. I need to get you back in your seat and buckled.”
Pouting, I pressed another kiss to his mouth before reluctantly crawling off his lap and slipping into the chair beside him. I wasn’t sure exactly how long we’d been flying or how long I’d been asleep. After keeping Owen well and thoroughly distracted, I’d gotten dressed and immediately resumed my position in his arms, curling myself into a ball. My lack of a proper sleep all week seemed to have caught up with me, and I’d dozed off listening to the sound of his heart and feeling the comforting touch of his hands as they stroked along my arms and back.
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going now?”
He shook his head, the expression on his face telling me my persistence was a battle he was finding difficult to fight. “Patience, beautiful. Patience. You’ll learn in good time.”
I rolled my eyes teasingly, and not even a second later, the pilot’s voice echoed through the cabin speaker, advising us to prepare for landing. The grip Owen had on my fingers tightened, and I reached over, smoothing a hand up his arm and resting my head on his shoulder. He hated flying, but I had learned his least favorite aspect of the entire ordeal, aside from turbulence, was landing.
Once the plane hit the ground, we rose from our seats and made our way in the direction of the cockpit. As we walked past the pilot and the flight attendant, Owen took a moment to stop and thank them while also confirming our next flight arrangements. He’d intentionally left out the names of any cities or countries, which meant even as we exited the plane, I still had no idea where we were.
Stepping onto the tarmac, I glanced around curiously. The morning sun was bright, just rising above the horizon, and I ran through the time mentally in my head. We had traveled across time zones. I was sure of it, seeing as it had been late in the afternoon when we’d left New York. My arm still curled around Owen’s, we walked across the empty airfield, and as we reached a waiting Mercedes, I noticed French signage. I stopped abruptly, Owen’s entire body halting with me as I turned to look at him, my eyes wide. “Are we seriously in France?”
His lips twitched, the start of a smile forming, and he shrugged nonchalantly. “Parlez-vous français?”
“Owen!” I smacked his arm, watching him flinch as if I’d actually hurt him. He was so darn dramatic, and insane. Absolutely insane. “I can’t believe you flew us halfway around the world. And, no—no I don’t know French, so I sure as heck hope you do!”
With a huge smile taking over his face, he looped his arm around my neck and dragged me to him, silencing me with a kiss. “I guess we’re screwed then because I don’t know a damn word outside of the ones I’ve just said.”
Giggling, I grabbed his cheeks and kissed him again and again. “God, I love you.”
He inhaled deeply, staring right into my eyes. “I love you, too.” His thumbs brushed imaginary circles on my cheeks, and then stepping back, he threaded his arm with mine and tugged me toward the car. “Come on, we have a hotel to check into and some shopping to do.”
As we drove around the French streets, my eyes were glued to the window. The lights and the buildings were beautifully surreal, and while I’d only ever been to a handful of major cities in my life, I’d deemed Paris as my favorite. The architecture, the history, the culture, it was so different from New York, and being here with Owen was like a dream come true—a dream I hadn’t even known I’d dreamed.
“This is amazing.”
The words slipped out under my breath, and Owen, whose fingers were locked together with mine, brought my hand to his mouth. He pressed a gentle kiss to the back of it, his lips soft and warm against my skin.
“We’re just getting started.”
Twenty minutes later, our driver came to a stop in front of what I assumed was our hotel, and as Owen held open my door and helped me out, my jaw dropped to the ground. I turned to face him. “The Ritz, Paris. Really? You’re pulling out all the stops, aren’t you?”
He squinted up at the building as if it were not a huge deal and glanced back at me, gifting me a lopsided grin. “Is it working?”
I crossed my arms over my chest and shook my head. He didn’t give me a chance to respond.
“Good. I’ll take that as a yes.”
Dragging me along, Owen entered the lobby, and I stood by his side, waiting patiently as he checked in with the front desk concierge. Unlike our fiasco in L.A., our room and key card were already waiting for us, and we were promptly escorted to our room. Like the rest of the building and its interior, wealth and luxury were splashed over every inch of the place. Our suite consisted of two bedrooms, a separate sitting room, a large bathroom with a jacuzzi tub and separate walk-in shower, and private access to the rooftop terrace which offered incredible views of the Eiffel Tower and the roofs of Paris. Draped in expensive white and cream linens, the king-sized bed featured a large tufted headboard and enough pillows to drown yourself in. A crystal chandelier hung overhead, beaming its rainbow of colors across the walls and hardwood floors, and the custom moldings and tall ceilings were unlike anything I’d ever seen.
I stood and marveled, feeling like a queen in her palace.
This was too much.
I turned toward Owen to tell him so, and the moment I did, he scooped me up into his arms—eliciting a high-pitched squeal from me—and tossed me onto the bed. I pushed up on my elbows as he crawled over me, his broad shoulders and strong arms caging me in.
“And what exactly do you think you’re doing, Mr. Caldwell?”
He smiled suggestively, his eyes dark and his voice a low growl. “I plan on fucking you until you beg me to stop.” He pressed his hips to mine, the heat of his erection burning right through our layers and scorching my skin.
Breathless, I cupped the back of his neck and pulled his lips down to mine. “Promise?”
After making good on his word—fucking me several times on the bed and then again in the shower—Owen and I quickly dressed and set out for an afternoon in the city. When we left New York, he had been adamant that we were pressed for time and that we needed to immediately get on our way, leaving me no chance to pack or bring any of my necessities. The hotel offered some complimentary toiletries, but nothing that would allow me to go a week, much less three, without making a trip to the local stores. I’d just never expected to be visiting stores lining the streets of Paris. The little shops and boutiques were similar to the variety you would find on Fifth Avenue in New York. They catered to the wealthy with their designer labels and designer price tags, and standing in the center of one made my stomach swish uneasily. I was afraid to touch anything, as if the oil on my skin would rub off and somehow cause irreparable damage.
I felt out of place, to say the least.
Walking over to a rack of cute sundresses, I sifted through them until I found my size and then fished through the material to locate the price tag. My eyes widened, and I quickly dropped it from my fingers as if the thing had burned right through my flesh, while swallowing down the string of profanities getting ready to leap off my tongue.
Almost twelve hundred US dollars.
Were they insane?
Owen strolled up beside me, lifting his chin and tilting his head to examine the tiny little number I’d been admiring. “That’s a nice one. Why don’t you try it on?”
“No. No, that's okay.”
“Why not?”
I glanced around, making sure no one else was in earshot and whisper-yelled under my breath, “It’s almost twelve hundred dollars!”
He shrugged his shoulder, clearly unaffected by the price. “Who cares. If you like it, then get it.”
“No. No way.” I shook my head, unable to justify the absurd and highly inflated cost. “We’ll go elsewhere. I’m sure there is another affordable shop somewhere along this street.” I began to walk away and Owen grabbed my hand, stopping me. He twisted me around, a look of determination on his face.
“Elle, how many times do you get to go shopping in Paris? I’m serious. If you like it, get it. It’s a beautiful dress and it looks great on the hanger, but I’m willing to bet all twelve hundred of those dollars it looks even better on you.”
I sighed defeatedly, knowing he wasn’t going to let me walk out of this place without the dress in hand but figuring I’d try to stand my ground and voice my argument anyway. “Owen—”
Snaking his hands around my waist, he pulled me to him and kissed my nose. “If you want it, then I want you to have it. No matter the cost. Besides...” The corners of his lips twitched. “It won't be the first time I've paid an exorbitant amount of money on a dress for you.”
I looked at him incredulously, my brows knitting together in momentary confusion. Realization dawned. My dress for Kimmi’s wedding. “Wait a minute. I thought you'd just charmed that evil woman with your charming ways. How much did you spend?”
“Apparently, I'm not as charming as you might think, Ms. Callihan, and it doesn't matter. Seeing how incredibly beautiful you looked while wearing it, it was worth every single penny I spent.”
And that’s where the argument ended.
I begrudgingly grabbed the dress from the rack, and—much to my dissatisfaction—a couple more outfits before trying them on and taking them to the cashier. As the pretty brunette rang up the total and Owen retrieved his credit card from his wallet, I turned my head, feeling sick that I’d allowed him to buy me four outfits the cost of which could’ve provided a three-month supply of food for ten starving families. Once he’d finished paying, he gathered my bags from the counter and then wrapped his arm around my waist, tucking me into his side. We stopped at a few more shops along the way, purchasing shoes and several more outfits for the both of us, and as we passed a lingerie store, I asked him if he’d mind if I slipped inside to take a look around. He kissed my forehead and attempted to give me his credit card, telling me for the hundredth time to get whatever I wanted, and this time, I kindly rejected his offer. I couldn’t afford a whole new wardrobe, but seeing as I no longer needed to send my parents money every month and I had some saved, this would be my gift to him.
Leaving him on his own, I entered the store with feigned confidence. The prices were on par with everything else I’d bought that day thus far, and deciding to swallow my pride, I picked out a few sets I thought Owen would take pleasure in seeing me wear and smiled to myself as I imagined his reaction. Other than the obvious language barrier, paying was an easy and hassle-free process.
As I stepped out of the boutique, my bag full of silk and lace in hand, Owen stood with his back against the white brick building and his leg kicked up, his foot flat against the same surface. God, he was so handsome. He had several new bags of his own, none of which I was able to question before he gathered all of them and placed them in the trunk of the car.
He took me in his arms. “Are you hungry? Apparently, there is this small café right around the corner from here that serves great food and even better cocktails.”
I pushed on my toes and kissed his lips. “Starving.”
By the time we made it back to our hotel, I was exhausted. Jet lag had officially settled into my bones, and I was looking forward to spending the rest of the night curled up in Owen’s arms. The bell boy assisted us in carrying all our bags to our suite, and the moment he disappeared, I quickly shed my clothes from my body, leaving them in a scattered trail behind me as I made my way into the bathroom. I popped my head around the doorframe, asking Owen if he wanted to join me in the jacuzzi tub and feeling a little disappointed when he declined. Even though we were away and on an impromptu vacation, there was still work at the office that needed his attention. Nodding in understanding, I took my time in the bath, the warm water reducing the stress and tension that had seemed to collect in every one of my muscles. When I finished, I wrapped myself in a plush white robe and slipped back into the room.
Owen sat awake on the bed, his shoulders pressed against the headboard and his laptop on his thighs. Hearing my footsteps, he lifted his head and moved his laptop aside, smiling. “Hey.”
“Hey.” I padded over to where he sat, only to be lifted off my feet and tossed onto the mattress beside him, his one hand slipping beneath my bathrobe and gently cupping my naked breast while his mouth placed a sweet and sensual kiss to my lips.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t join you. Lawson needed final approval on some cover designs, and Liam needed to discuss the fourth quarter marketing budget.”
Inhaling the delicious scent of his cologne, I smoothed my hands up his chest, my fingers stopping to grip the collar of his shirt. “It’s okay. Next time.”
Next time. Those words lingered in my head and I wanted to take them back. They had instantly transported my mind into a place I’d been desperate to avoid, and now the reminder of why we were even here was back. Next time. How many “next times” would we have?
Slowly removing myself out of that dark and haunting place, I forced myself back into the here and now. We lay there silently for a few minutes lost in each other’s eyes, my body completely relaxed under the gentle touch of his fingers as they swirled lazy patterns over my skin, and without warning, Owen pulled back, taking hold of my hands and sitting me up with him.
“I bought something for you today. I was going to wait until we were back in New York to give it to you, but I can’t wait.”
He swung his legs off the bed and walked over to where our bags sat untouched on the floor, sifting through them until he found the one he was looking for. Reaching in he pulled out a large box, wrapped in shiny silver paper and adorned with a huge white bow, and quickly returned to my side, placing it down in front of me.
“Open it.”
My gaze bounced between his beautiful green eyes and the perfectly wrapped present, and a giddy excitement at what it might be swirled in my stomach. I picked it up, evaluating the weight of it and giving it a little shake, trying to figure out what was hidden inside. It was a little heavy.
He laughed at my curiosity. “Don’t shake it. Just open it.”
I twisted my lips to the side to prevent myself from grinning too hard and ripped through the paper, my heart beating faster as my eyes landed on the white box with the familiar logo. My head jumped up, and my heart stuttered in my chest. I stared at him in disbelief. “Owen, you didn’t.”
He smiled a smile I’d yet to see on his face.
Tears lined my eyes and my hands shook as I removed the rest of the paper. He’d bought me a laptop. I couldn’t breathe, his thoughtfulness and the impossible way he made me fall even further and deeper in love with him had stolen all the air from my lungs. Unable to look at him—afraid I might completely fall apart if I did—I stared at the box, my fingers tracing the image on the front absentmindedly. “Why? Why did you do this?”
“Well…” The mattress caved as Owen readjusted his position on the bed and moved closer to my side. “I realized there was one last thing preventing you from chasing your dream, and this was it, so I decided to rectify that. We’ll need to buy you a new charger once we get back home, but for now, you can write to your heart’s content.” A pregnant pause thickened the air before Owen sensed the hesitancy in my reaction, and he dropped his mouth to my ear, whispering words of reassurance. “Your words are beautiful, Elle, and they deserve to be given a voice. They deserve to be read by the masses.”
I lost it.
The tears I’d been fighting to hold back streamed hot and fast down my cheeks, and Owen pressed two fingers to my chin, lifting it gently so that I couldn’t look anywhere but at him. “Hey…” His expression immediately fell, worry filling the lines on his face. “Why are you crying, huh?”
Choking on a sob, I pushed the box away. “I’m sorry, but I can’t accept this.” I attempted to scoot off the bed and Owen stopped me, grabbing hold of my upper arms and gently turning me toward him.
“Like hell you can’t.” His eyes searched my face frantically, looking for an explanation to my sudden and unexplained outburst as his thumbs caught the tears soaking my skin. “Elle, talk to me.”
“Why are you doing this? Why do you keep pushing me?” My voice was louder than I intended and chock-full of torment.
“Why do I keep pushing you?” Confusion clouded his face and hurt slanted the corners of his mouth. “I’m pushing you because I love you, Elle. I’m pushing you because I want you to fight hard for your dreams and I don’t want you to give up until you’ve conquered every single one of them. I’m pushing you because I want you to have everything, baby. You deserve to have everything.”
He wanted me to have everything?
“Don’t you see?” I shook my head, trying to shake away the tears and the overwhelming rush of painful emotion trapped in my throat. “Owen, you are my everything. I look around and I see this life, this perfect beautiful life that is being made possible because of you, and then I’m reminded that in a few short months you won’t be here to be a part of it. You won’t be here to share it with me and I can’t…” I sucked in a breath, my lips trembling and my lungs seconds away from collapsing. “I can’t…”
Before I could finish my thought, I was in Owen’s arms, his voice whispering softly in my ear and his heart beating against my chest.
“I’ll always be a part of it, Elle. I’ll always be a part of you. Always.”